ASU Basketball: Sun Devils benefit from Okpala’s absence

Prior to tip-off, ASU basketball received word that Stanford would be without star guard KZ Okpala. This played a huge role in the Sun Devils’ 80-62 win.

It wasn’t until almost tip when game-changing news broke – KZ Okpala was out for Wednesday’s game between Stanford and Arizona State. Over the next 40 minutes, Okpala’s absence proved devastating.

The Sun Devils cruised to an 80-62 win, holding Stanford 12 points below its season average of 74 points per game. Only two Stanford players finished in double figures – Josh Sharma and Oscar Da Silva.

In the teams’ first meeting, Okpala was huge. A sophomore forward, Okpala notched a team-high 21 points in the Cardinal’s 85-71 win in Palo Alto.

Without him, Stanford lacked its leading scorer and offensive cornerstone. ASU coach Bobby Hurley stressed the injury’s significance.

“It’s not easy when you lose a key component to what you’re doing,” Hurley said. “They fought hard – they battled.”

Though Stanford kept within striking distance for most of the game, the Cardinal’s offensive production wasn’t the same.

Shooting 37.3 percent from 3 on the season, Okpala is usually Stanford’s deadliest weapon from deep. Wednesday, Stanford shot 2-of-21 (9.5 percent) from beyond the arc.

For Stanford, it was an undeniably rough night. But as bad as the Cardinal shot, ASU did its part, not giving any space for their best shooters.

“You can’t ask for a whole lot better,” Hurley said.

Stanford’s offense is known for getting space from rotations and utilizing screens. Hurley’s group prepared for this, and it paid dividends.

“We were really speeding them up some, and we didn’t allow them to go side to side,” Hurley said. “They really like to go side to side with their ball-screen offense, and we were just more aggressive and didn’t allow them to do it.”

But Stanford’s offensive woes didn’t end at the three-point line. The Cardinal also finished below their season average in assists and field-goal percentage.

Of Stanford’s 21 field goals, just 10 were assisted – 2.7 below its usual count. This is a testament to Arizona State’s defense, which often clogged the open passing lanes.

Only one Stanford player had an exceptional night – Sharma. He was efficient, finishing with 17 points on 7-of-7 shooting.

Taking away Sharma’s prolific scoring on the inside, the Cardinal shot 14-of-49 (28.6 percent) from the field. After allowing 85 points in the first meeting, the Sun Devils made it their mission to play lockdown defense.

“We knew that they beat us at their place, so we watched a lot of film,” guard Rob Edwards said. “Just playing solid on defense, taking care of the ball and just doing what we do.”

Did Okpala’s absence help the Sun Devils’ winning effort? Yes, 100 percent. But even so, this was one of the most impressive defensive performances over Arizona State’s confusing, unpredictable 2018-19 season.

If this becomes commonplace, ASU may pick up much-needed momentum at the perfect time of the season.

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.